Clallam County Fire District 3

09/02/2026

Fire District 3 is pleased to welcome Charles Clarke as our new Human Resources Manager.

Charles joins FD3 after nearly two decades in public transportation, including almost five years in Human Resources management. His background includes leadership roles in operations, workforce development, safety, labor relations, budgeting, and employee support. He has managed teams of more than 200 employees and large-scale operational budgets.

Charles brings a practical, collaborative approach to human resources with experience in employee relations, recruitment, training, regulatory compliance, and organizational development.

“I am extremely honored to be joining FD3, as I know the difference first responders make in the lives of their communities,” Charles shared.

Please join us in welcoming Charles to the FD3 team!

09/01/2026

WOULD YOU CALL 911?

A family member suddenly can't smile evenly. One arm feels weak, and their words don't make sense. Would you call 911?

Yes! Absolutely!

These are classic warning signs of a possible stroke, and every minute matters.

Now imagine someone has had mild back pain for several months that hasn't suddenly changed.
While that person should absolutely seek medical care, it may not require an emergency ambulance response. Seeing a primary care doctor or going to the walk-in clinic will get this patient the care they need, and often much faster.

Knowing the difference between emergent and non-emergent medical conditions helps ensure emergency crews are available for life-threatening situations while everyone receives the care they need.

Remember: Just because you show up to the hospital in an ambulance, this does not ensure you will be seen faster at the hospital. The hospital also triages patients brought in by ambulance and sees the most critical patients first. Non-critical patients may be placed in the waiting room upon arrival, even if arriving via ambulance.

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, always call 911.

08/31/2026

With all the back-to-school photos filling our feeds this week, our duty crews decided they did not want to be left out!

For the start of their 48-hour shift, our firefighters joined in with their own “First Day of Shift” photos. A few crew members shared a little about themselves, including their home station and apparatus to their favorite training, music, and the last fire they were on.

While our crews may not be heading back to a traditional classroom, every shift brings new opportunities to learn, serve our community, support one another, and be ready when the next emergency call comes in.

Here’s to a safe, productive, and memorable first day of their 48 hour shift for all FD3 crews! 🚒🔥

08/31/2026

We’re proud to introduce another member of Fire District 3, Captain Ivan Hueter.

Captain Hueter joined FD3 on September 13th, 2000, as a volunteer. He was later hired on January 22nd, 2014, as a Firefighter/Paramedic. He was promoted to Captain on July 1st, 2023. Captain Hueter is one out of three Captains on B-shift and is also one of the three “Hueter brothers” that work for FD3.

Captain Hueter is responsible for ensuring FD3 has the medical equipment and supplies needed to respond to every 911 call. He ensures each station has adequate backup supplies for the week and orders inventory for the main EMS storage room at the Training and Operations Center. His work ensures our crews have the essential supplies needed to respond to calls. He is a valued and vital member of our team.

Please join us in thanking Captain Ivan Hueter for 26 years of service, leadership, and dedication to the fire service and the community.

(This is a repost from this weekend due to an error on the admin side. Captain Ivan was also an explorer before becoming a volunteer; however, the district does not count explorer time as actual years of service.)

08/28/2026

Can We Get Through When Seconds Matter?

When FD3 responds to fire and medical emergencies, access can make all the difference. Unfortunately, crews sometimes cannot safely get fire engines, ambulances, or water tenders down private roads and driveways because they are too narrow, overgrown, or blocked by obstacles. This can delay emergency responses and fire suppression when every second counts.

Please help by asking yourself: “Is my driveway safe and large enough for emergency vehicles and responders to access in case of an emergency?”

To help ensure emergency vehicles can reach your home, please maintain at least 12 feet of clear width and 13.5 feet of clear height along your driveway or private access road. Trim low-hanging branches, clear brush, and keep driveways free of parked vehicles, trailers, trash bins, and other obstructions.

If you have a gate, make sure it can be opened quickly. For secured gates, consider installing a Knox Box with the gate clicker or access code safely secured inside. Learn more at https://www.ccfd3.org/knox-box-information.

Please also make sure your driveway, bridges, and culverts can safely support emergency apparatus. Our largest vehicle weighs up to 64,000 pounds.

Fire engines, ambulances, and water tenders are much larger and heavier than personal vehicles. If we cannot safely access your property, it may delay the help you or your neighbors need.

A clear, maintained driveway can make a critical difference. Please help us help you!

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

This is a major undertaking; in less than a week, more than 37,000 feet of hose owned by FD3 is tested.

Every hose line must be removed from each apparatus, charged to its maximum operating pressure, inspected for defects, drained, reloaded, and returned to service. This includes not only the hose carried on our apparatus, but also all spare hose. Our ladders are also removed from service and tested to ensure they meet their required load ratings.

Because every apparatus carrying hose must be tested, we have to coordinate apparatus swaps at our stations so reserve units can cover while first-out engines are being tested. This takes significant planning and coordination between on-duty crews and the testing company.

While on site at FD3’s Training and Operations Center, Fire Catt Hose Testing not only tests FD3 equipment, but also hose from City of Port Angeles Fire Department and Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue . Altogether, more than 100,000 feet of hose is tested between the participating agencies.

A huge thank you to Firefighter/EMT Ryan Hueter for overseeing this project and helping ensure all of our hose and ladders complete their annual testing. We also want to thank Fire Catt Testing for their partnership and support. We could not do this without you.

08/26/2026

August 14, 2026, Fire District 3 had the honor of pinning four probationary firefighters as they transitioned to full-time members of the FD3 team.

Through countless hours of training, emergency responses, and a steadfast commitment to serving others, each of these firefighters has demonstrated the knowledge, capability, and professionalism needed to serve the citizens of our district.

Please join us in congratulating FF/EMTs Elliot Nokes, Ben Frame, and Jordon Cook, along with Firefighter/Paramedic Jared Kneidl, as they take the oath and begin this next chapter with FD3.

We thank them for their dedication to this community and are proud to have them on the team.

08/26/2026

🚨CODE RED: Our community blood supply is at emergency levels.🚨

Clallam County Fire District #3 is hosting a community blood drive on Thursday,

September 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Every donation can help save lives. Summer travel, canceled appointments, increased hospital needs, and upcoming community events have contributed to a critical shortage in the local blood supply.

If you are eligible to donate, please consider scheduling an appointment. You never know when you, a family member, friend, or neighbor may need blood.

Schedule your donation here:
https://donate.bloodworksnw.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/110270

Thank you for helping care for our community.

08/25/2026

Not Every Medical Concern Requires 911.

When you, or a loved one, are sick or injured it can be hard to know where to go for medical care. For true emergencies, always call 911. But for many non-life-threatening medical concerns, a local walk-in clinic or your primary care doctor may be the better place to start.

Walk-In clinics and primary care doctors provide care for non-emergency medical needs and can often see patients faster than waiting in the Emergency Room for conditions that are not life-threatening. Using walk-in clinics and primary care providers for minor illnesses and injuries also helps keep emergency responders and emergency rooms available for life-threatening conditions.

The walk-in clinic and primary care doctors may be most appropriate for things like:
-Cold, cough, flu, or COVID-like symptoms
-Sore throat or earaches
-Sinus infections
-Minor cuts, scrapes, or burns
-Sprains, strains, or minor injuries
-Rashes or minor skin infections
-Mild allergic reactions without breathing problems
-Urinary tract infection symptoms
-Minor eye irritation
-Medication questions or minor illness concerns

Call 911 or go to the Emergency Room for conditions such as:
-Chest pain or pressure
-Trouble breathing
-Stroke symptoms, including face drooping, arm weakness, or speech difficulty
-Severe bleeding
-Major trauma or serious injury
-Loss of consciousness
-Severe allergic reaction with swelling or breathing difficulty
-Seizures
-Severe burns
-Sudden severe pain
-Any condition that feels life-threatening

Choosing the right level of care matters. If your condition is not an emergency, going directly to the walk-in clinic or your primary care doctor may save you time and help emergency responders remain available for critical calls.